高级实用英语写作 节选

bsp;序言
应Michael Krigline先生的多次邀请，为其新作《(高级实用英语写作)》作序。
回忆起来，我认识Michael Krigline先生是在2001年至2002年之间。我当时急于寻找
有教学经验的、负责的外籍教师参与《(新视野大学英语)》的终审工作，我早年的一位学生向
我推荐了Michael Krigline，他当时在一家外资教学机构(耀华国际教育中心)任教。令人
难以忘怀的是，Michael Krigline是一位极其认真负责的外教，他做的修改远远超过了一般
审校的范围。许多修改之处有画龙点睛之妙，令人拍案叫绝。他极为细心地捕捉了原作者的
意图，竭力把新修改的内容与教材要求的水平保持一致，与原作融为一体，修改之处若不是
另用颜色标出，恐怕难以觉察。正因为如此，在两个多月的时间内，他只完成了读写教程
两个单元的审稿任务。我当然希望他能再多审校几个单元，但他是个完美主义者，不做则已，
要做就做到完美无瑕。
后来，他在那家外资机构任教期满，尽管该机构出高薪和丰厚的待遇再三挽留他，我
也多次想把他聘为《(新视野大学英语)》的专职审稿外教，他却都一一婉言谢绝，其时他已决
意赴条件艰苦的大西北任教。用他的话来说：“西北条件差，大家都不去，谁去?”大有“我
不下地狱，谁下地狱”的气概。根据他的愿望，他去了西北工业大学任教。那里的条件各个
方面均不能与上海相比，但他毫无怨言。他以爱学校、爱学生的奉献精神，以他的人格魅力
和敬业精神，赢得了西北工业大学老师和学生的交口称赞。
外研社即将出版的这部Michael Krigline与DeWitt Scott合著的《(高级实用英语写作)》，
浓缩了Michael Krigline先生孜孜以求、追求完美的敬业精神和对学习英语的中国学生的殷
殷关切之情。对于中国学习者来讲，英文语言的习惯、语法与中文不同，中西思维方式也存
在一定的差异，这些都增加了英文写作的难度。而各种文体的英文写作在现实生活和日益国
际化的工作中随处可见，针对不同的场合和用途，写出贴切、流畅、地道的英文，是英语学
习者所渴望的。本教材便是专门为了帮助中国英语学习者实现这个目的而编写的。
本教材的主要特色如下：
1)从以英语为母语、具有丰富的英文写作经验和编辑经验者的角度出发，讲述了英语
写作的原则。这些原则在写作过程的各个阶段可以给英语学习者提供很大帮助。
2)从外籍英语教师的角度出发，根据其在中国高校的英语写作教学实践，系统归纳了
英语写作学习指导，对中国学生英语写作中的一些普遍性错误进行分析和指导。这是目前许
多写作教材中一个较薄弱的环节，也是国内英语教师和学习者急需了解的内容。
3)强调写作的交际本质，将交际的成功与否作为写作成功的标准，并据此设计该书的
内容和结构，介绍了八种常用文体的写作，包括学术论文、产品宣传短文、新闻报道等。这
一点对推动目前英语教学应试倾向的改变具有重要意义。同时，每课都针对具体的教学目
的配有相应的练习和讨论题。通过这些训练，学习者可以更有效地理解和掌握所讲授的内容，
从而提高实际写作水平。
初次翻开本书的读者可能会感觉结构有点复杂，难以把握。时而讲写作技巧，时而讲
写作文体，有时又会出现一个Better Writing Smdy Guide。文体和技巧的讲授顺序也同我们
的习惯不太一致。但是在通读过全书，或者使用过一段时间后就会发现，这种结构编排完全
是从课堂教学的实践出发，符合中、高水平英语学习者的课堂学习需求的。
例如，**至四课主要是针对英语专业学习者完成毕业论文的实际需要，讲解学术论
文的写作。
**课Type ofWriting部分讲解学术论文的基础——学术文章段落的写作。
第二和第三课的Writing Skills介绍了学术文章写作的基本原则，然后帮助学习者认识
写作的准备阶段。
第四课Bpe ofWriting则详细讲解如何建构学术论文的框架和做参考文献。
书中各课的内容都有内在联系，根据目的有机地贯穿在一起。书中穿插的Better Writing
Study Guide则是对学习者在学习前面所讲文体写作中可能会出现的问题进行的归纳、分析
和解决。这种源于教学实践的结构安排看似复杂，实则有序，相信会逐渐为一线教9酹口学习
者所接受和欢迎。
书后作者提供了多个附录，包括单独整理的Better Writing Study Guide，教师指南、补
充阅读材料、词汇注释表和索引表等，便于教师和学习者参考使用。
《高级实用英语写作)》是难得的专门为中国英语学习者编写的一部实用的写作教程，编
写过程先后历时数年，其间几易其稿，Michael Krigline先生甚至有一段时间停薪停教，专注
于本书的写作。付梓之前，又曾反复试用、修正。全书处处体现了他殷切的期望，希望学习
英语的中国学生能从中受益。
这部教材适合作为高级英语写作课的教材，同时也可作为工作中常用到英语的上班族
的自学教材。如细心研读并做相应的训练，会对提高实用英语文体的写作技能有很大帮助。
郑树棠
上海交通大学外国语学院博士生导师

Lesson 19
Everyone likes to feel welcome,
but "welcome" is one of the
many words that English-
learners often misuse. We
conclude the "Better Writing
Study Guide" by looking at
many of these terms, as well
as how to express feelings in
Enelish.
In pari four of this study guide, we look at a number of words that confuse English-
learners and their readers. First, you will learn about the different ways to use since, like
and as. Next, 'we take a look at the special verb structures needed to express how we feel.
You will also examine common "Chinglish" mistakes that result from the clash of your
first and second languages. Finally, we study several sets of related terms that are often
:used inappropriately.
Remember that the "Better Writing Study Guide" (you will find G 1-15 in other lessons) is
supposed to be a reference tool that's handy when you need lt, not a set of rules that you need
to memorize. Some of the content is technical or complicated so it isn't "light reading." But
the more effort you put into becoming familiar with these guidelines, the better your English
writing will be.
Does "Since September..." mean "because September..." or "starting from September..."?
'H0w about "As a student..": does this mean "because I am a student..", "in the same way as a
~tudent .." br "at the same time that a student..."? Your reader shouldn't have to guess.
Many English-learners think that since, because and as are interchangeable; some believe that
like and as are both used the same way. This section will help yuu see the differences between these
commonly misused terms.
G16a. Using since
(A) Since... = "From the time of "When you start a dependent clause with "Since...", expect
your readers to think you mean "From the time o...", unless you give clues to indicate that
you mean because. To remove ambiguity and make it clear that you are talking about time,
informal sentences can start with "Ever since. " but this is sometimes too informal for
~ . ~
,
business or academic writing. You can also help your reader by putting a comma after your
time clause, followed by the subject plus a perfect-tense verb (e.g., "Since April, we have
noticed..."; "Since the party, he has felt..."; "Since Mary graduated, she has been...")
(B) Since... + verb = "Because "If you want your readers to think that since means because
instead of')rrom the time of..", your dependent clause needs both since and a verb (i.e., before
the comma): for example, "Since June is warm, we..." or "Since you have only 200 words,
limit your...."
(C) Examples. Both of the following examples are OK because the third word gives a clue to the
intended meaning.
Since September is the first month of autumn, school begins in September in many
countries. (Putting "since" plus the verb "is" in the opening clause tells the reader that
you mean "because September...".)
Since September of last year, we've seen a 10% increase in grain prices. (With "since"
and a time phrase [of last year] in the opening clause, plus "we have seen" [perfect
tense] after the comma, your reader knows you mean '~om the time of September...".
Note: "Ever since September..." sounds too informal in this sentence.)
Now consider the following examples and notice the extra clues provided to clarify the
meaning.
Unclear: Since she retired she has plenty of free time. (This is unclear because many
English-leamers choose the wrong verb tense or forget to add commas; I wonder if this
means "Since the time she retired" or "Because she retired.")
Clear: Ever since she retired, she has had plenty of free time. (Ever since and the
perfect-tense verb has had give us clues that this means "from the time that she
retired...")
Clear: Since she is retired, she now has plenty of free time. (Adding a comma, putting is
before the comma, and adding now help us see that this since means because.)
Clear: She has plenty of free time because she retired. (or "...because she is retired.")
(When choosing between since and because, remember that because always means
because, but since can have several meanings. We'll talk more about how to make this
choice in section G16d.)
G16b. Using as
Readers expect "as..." to introduce related information or to give details about someone's role.
Using as to mean because is rare except in formal, legal writing. Also notice that "as..." is part of a
dependent clause so the phrase is set off with a comma ifit comes before the dependent clause.
(A) "As... + verb..." -- "At the same time that "Sentences starting with "As... + verb..."
commonly introduce time-related information (i.e., "while one thing happened, something else
also happened").
0 As I was leaving for the airport, an important call came that made me late. An important
call came as ! was leaving for the airport that made me late. ("at the same time that I was
leaving, something happened")
In each "As..." clause below, the verb provides a clue that you are presenting time information,
so the reader will not assume that you mean because. This is important because many English-
learners confuse readers by trying to make ''As..." mean because.
As she retired, Mary decided to start a new hobby. ("at the time that she retired, she did
something")
As the term started, upperclassmen sold used books to underclassmen. ("at the time that the
semester began, something happened")
As his master called, the dog came running. ("the dog ran when/while his master called")
(B) "As a..."= "While acting in this role "The phrase "as + an article..." gives your reader
information about how you are comparing two things by specifying the role someone or
something has (i.e., "while acting in this role, something happened").
As a lawyer, Molly spends a lot of time in court. Molly spends a lot of time in court as a
lawyer. (Molly is a lawyer whose job makes her spend time in court.)
Notice that you usually need an indefinite article in such sentences, with three exceptions: (1)
your subject is plural (and thus doesn't need an article), (2) when referring to a formal role or
position, and (3) when stressing that something is specific.~49
0 As students, we must study hard. (Students is plural, so it doesn't need an article. This
sentence emphasizes that in your role as students you have to study.)
As student body president, Zhou Wei attended many meetings: (President is a formal role;
here student body is an adjective telling us what Zhou Wei is president off)
As the president of the student body, Zhou Wei attended many meetings. (This stresses that
Zhou Wei is the only president of the only student body, and in this role he attends many
meetings.)
"As a..." sentences can be written in a normal or inverted way, but they are usually inverted
(starting with "As a...") to put emphasis on the role.

高级实用英语写作 本书特色

《(高级实用英语写作》
本书由母语为英语的具有丰富写作经验的美籍英语教师编
写，书中大量引用了资深英文编辑Dewitt scott从自己的编辑和
写作经验中总结出来的英语写作的指导原则，为中国学生在实际
生活中的成功写作铺平道路。
内容包括写作技巧、写作文体和对中国学生英语写作中出现
的一些普遍性错误进行的分析和指导。并从语言．思维方式和东
西方文化的差异这三个层面阐述如何在英语写作中克服这些障碍。
适合作为高级英语写作课的教材使用，同时也可作为工作中
常用到英语的上班族的自学教材，如细心研读并作相应的训练，
对提高实用英语文体的写作技能会有很大帮助。
——郑树棠 (上海交通大学)